Conan (comics)

Marvel Comics and Dark Horse Comics character

Conan the Barbarian by Robert E. Howard was first adapted into comics in 1952 in Mexico. Marvel Comics began publishing Conan comics with the series Conan the Barbarian in 1970. Dark Horse Comics published Conan from 2003 to 2018, when the rights were reacquired by Marvel Comics. Marvel published Conan comics until 2022, when Titan Comics took over the license (through Heroic Signatures) to begin publishing its own series.

The first comic book adaptation of a Howard Conan story was the feature La reina de la Costa Negra (taken from the original Conan story, "Queen of the Black Coast") in the miniature size Mexican anthology title Cuentos de Abuelito #8 (1952) published by Corporacion Editorial Mexicana, SA. The series features the main characters, Conan and Bêlit, though Conan is depicted as blond rather than black haired. Issues 8 through 12 adapted the original Howard story, while subsequent issues featured original material. The feature ran in nearly every issue of Cuentos de Abuelito up through number 61. A digest sized standalone series, La reina de la Costa Negra, was published by Ediciones Mexicanas Asocidas in 1958–1959 which lasted for at least eleven issues. In 1965–66 Ediciones Joma published a standard size La reina de la Costa Negra comic that ran for at least 53 issues. Other Marvel Conan titles over the years include Savage Tales (1971–1975, issues 1–5 only), Giant Size Conan (1974–1975), King Conan/Conan the King (1980–1989), Conan the Adventurer (1994–1995), Conan (1995–1996), and Conan the Savage (1995–1996). After the 2019 return of Conan to Marvel titles included Conan: Serpent War (2019–2020 miniseries), Conan: Battle for the Serpent Crown (2020 miniseries), alongside the reappearance of Conan the Barbarian (2019–present) and Savage Sword of Conan (2019), which both received new #1s but retained the original "Legacy Numbering" continuing where their original Marvel series left off. Conan later appeared in the pages of Savage Avengers. King Conan caused controversy when it included a character named Matoaka, the real name of Pocahontas, and with a sexualized design and a backstory similar to that of the actual Native American woman. There was backlash at what was perceived a disrespectful portrayal, so Marvel announced that name would be changed in later issues, reprints and digital editions. Writer Jason Aaron issued an apology, and pointed that "This new character is a supernatural, thousand year old princess of a cursed island within a world of pastiche and dark fantasy and was never intended to be based on anyone from history".

Dark Horse Comics began their take on Conan in 2003, which ended in 2018 when the rights were repurchased by Marvel. The first comic series published was written by Kurt Busiek and Tim Truman and pencilled by Cary Nord and Tomas Giorello. This was followed by Conan the Cimmerian, written by Tim Truman and pencilled by Tomas Giorello, Richard Corben and José Villarrubia. This series was a fresh interpretation, based solely on the works of Robert E. Howard and on the Dale Rippke chronology, with no connection to the large Marvel run. Dark Horse Comics also published digitally re coloured compilations of the 1970s Marvel Comics Conan the Barbarian series in graphic novel format, by Roy Thomas (writer), Barry Windsor Smith, John Buscema, Ernie Chan (artists), and others.

After Marvel lost the Conan license in 2022, Titan Comics and entertainment studio Heroic Signatures joined forces to co publish comics, graphic novels, and omnibus collections of the Marvel Conan comics. The first ongoing series Conan the Barbarian, written by Jim Zub, started in May 2023. A limited Savage Sword of Conan series in black and white and magazine sized format started in 2024.

In France, the character is under public domain, and on the Franco Belgian market, the publisher Glénat has, since 2018, published a series of albums with the character, "Conan le Cimmérien", written and drawn by local talent.

In Italy, the collective Leviathan Labs publishes a version by the publisher Weird Book.

In 2021, the Spanish publisher DQómics Conan de Cimmeria, written by Ángel G. Nieto with drawings by Julio Rod and colors by Esteban Navarro.

Title Publisher Issues Dates NotesConan the Barbarian Movie SpecialMarvel#1–219821982 movie adaptation of the same nameConan the DestroyerMarvel#1–219851985 movie adaptation of the same nameConan and the Stalker of the WoodsMarvel#1–31997Conan the Barbarian–The UsurperMarvel#1–31997–1998Conan the Barbarian–River of BloodMarvel#1–31998Conan the Barbarian–The Lord of SpidersMarvel#1–31998Conan the Barbarian–Return of StyrmMarvel#1–31998Conan the Barbarian–Scarlet SwordMarvel#1–31998–1999Conan the Barbarian–Death Covered in GoldMarvel#1–31999Conan the Barbarian–Flame and the FiendMarvel#1–32000Conan and the Jewels of GwahlurDark Horse#1–32005 Conan and the Demons of Khitai Dark Horse #1–4 2005–2006 ‡ Conan and the Songs of the Dead Dark Horse #1–5 2006 Conan: Book of Thoth Dark Horse #1–4 2006 Conan and the Midnight God Dark Horse #1–5 2006–2007King Conan: The Scarlet CitadelDark Horse#1–42011Conan: Island of No ReturnDark Horse#1–22011King Conan: The Phoenix on the SwordDark Horse#1–42012King Conan: The Hour of the DragonDark Horse#1–62013Conan and the People of the Black CircleDark Horse#1–42013–2014King Conan: The ConquerorDark Horse#1–62014Groo vs. ConanDark Horse#1–42014Conan / Red SonjaDark Horse#1–42015Crossover with Dynamite ComicsRed Sonja / ConanDynamite#1–42015Crossover with Dark Horse ComicsKing Conan: Wolves Beyond the BorderDark Horse#1–42015–2016Wonder Woman – ConanDC Comics#1–62017–2018 DC Comics/Dark Horse Comics crossoverConan – Serpent WarMarvel #1–42019–2020Conan – Battle for the Serpent CrownMarvel #1–52020The Cimmerian: Queen of the Black CoastAblaze#1–22019The Cimmerian: Red NailsAblaze#1–22020The Cimmerian: People of the Black CircleAblaze#1–32020The Cimmerian: The Frost Giant's DaughterAblaze#1–32020 2021The Cimmerian: Iron Shadows in the MoonAblaze#1–32021The Cimmerian: The Man Eaters of ZamboulaAblaze#1–22021The Cimmerian: Beyond the Black RiverAblaze#1–22021The Cimmerian: Hour of the DragonAblaze#1–42022

‡ Conan and the Demons of Khitai #3 featured a spoof nude advert for Conan #24–after complaints a second printing was issued replacing the spoof nude advert with the actual (non nude) advert for Conan #24, with retailers offering the option to swap copies. (See Recalled comics for more pulped, recalled and erroneous comics.)

TitlePublisherDatesNotes Conan vs. RuneMarvel1995Conan and the Daughters of MidoraDark Horse2004Conan: The Weight of the CrownDark Horse2010Conan the Barbarian: The Mask of AcheronDark Horse20112011 Conan movie adaption Conan the Barbarian – ExodusMarvel2019Conan the Barbarian 2099Marvel2019The Official Handbook of the Conan Universe Marvel2020The 50th Anniversary Celebration EditionKing Size ConanMarvel2021The 50th Anniversary Celebration Edition

TitlePublisherIssuesDatesNotesRobert E. Howard's Savage SwordDark Horse#1–102010–2015Each issue has at least one Conan story along with other REH character stories